Andropogon gerardii plant named ‘Holy Smoke’

ABSTRACT

A new, distinct  Andropogon gerardii  plant as illustrated and described, characterized by an upright plant with a height of 190 cm, blue-green colored foliage with red stems, and purple fall color.

Latin name: Andropogon gerardii.

Cultivar name: ‘Holy Smoke’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new form of Andropogon gerardii plantnamed ‘Holy Smoke’. ‘Holy Smoke’ is a seedling of Andropogon gerardii‘Blackhawks’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,949, characterized by a height of190 cm, blue-green colored foliage with red stems, and purple fallcolor, compared to dark green colored foliage and the shorter habit of150 cm of the parent plant. The new plant was grown as a seedling ofAndropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,949, by theinventor at a wholesale perennial nursery in Hebron, Ill. USA in 2017.The selection of this plant was due to its height of 190 cm, andblue-green colored foliage with red stems, and purple fall color.Asexual, vegetative division propagation has been the only means ofreproduction. Initial vegetative propagation has taken place at Hebron,Ill. since 2018. In 2019 we planted 200 plants. To date these plantshave remained uniform in height, and foliage color. The new Andropogongerardii has shown to be stable and identical in reproduction to theparent after making over 700 vegetative divisions from 2018 to 2020. Noplants of Andropogon gerardii ‘Holy Smoke’ have been sold in thiscountry, or anywhere in the world, prior to the filing of thisapplication, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made prior tothe filing of this application with the exception of that which wasdisclosed by the inventor and his nursery in Hebron, Ill. US within oneyear of the filing of this application and was either derived directlyor indirectly from the inventor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (copyright 2001). The new Andropogongerardii plant named ‘Holy Smoke’ has shown the characteristics of amore upright plant with a height of 190 cm, blue-green colored foliagewith red tips and joints, and purple fall color to be unique and stable.For purpose of the comparison the new plant will be referred to as ‘HolySmoke’.

Plants of ‘Holy Smoke’ can be compared to plants of Andropogon gerardii‘Blackhawks’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,949. 1. ‘Holy Smoke’ has an uprightgrowth and a height of 190 cm compared to the height of Andropogongerardii ‘Blackhawks’ which has an average height of 150 cm. 2. ‘HolySmoke’ has a foliage color of blue-green 146 A coloring to 187 Acompared to Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ which has foliage color of147 A coloring to N186 A.

Plants of ‘Holy Smoke’ can be also be compared to plants of Andropogongerardii ‘Red October’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,283. 1. The ‘Holy Smoke’has a height of 190 cm compared to the height of Andropogon gerardii‘Red October’ which has an average height of 130-150 cm. 2. The newAndropogon has a foliage color of blue-green 146 A coloring to 187 Acompared to Andropogon gerardii ‘Red October’ which has foliage colorthat is, RHS 147 A coloring to N92 A and eventually close to 187 C.

Plants of ‘Holy Smoke’ can be also be compared to plants of Andropogongerardii ‘Dancing Wind’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,892. 1. The ‘Holy Smoke’has a height of 190 cm compared to the height of Andropogon gerardii‘Dancing Wind’ which has an average height of 140-170 cm. 2. The newAndropogon has a foliage color of blue-green 146 A coloring to 187 Acompared to Andropogon gerardii ‘Dancing Wind’, which has foliage colorof yellow-green N144 A coloring to 183 D.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1. Shows a 2 year old plant in August with red stems in Hebron,Ill. USA.

FIG. 2. Shows a 2 year old plant in September with fall foliage color inHebron, Ill. USA.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2001. The plant herein described isan established 2 year old plant growing in a garden, grown in full sunand irrigated in Hebron, Ill. USA. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Andropogon gerardii plant named ‘Holy    Smoke’.-   Parentage: Female: An open pollinated Andropogon gerardii    ‘Blackhawks’. Male: an unnamed and unknown Andropogon gerardii.-   Propagation: Vegetative division.-   Plant description: Overall habit of the new Andropogon is clumping    with upright culms topped by red colored flowers beginning in    August. Vigor is moderate.    -   -   Plant height.—190 cm.        -   Plant width.—60 cm.-   Foliage and stems:    -   -   Foliage description.—Glabrous, flat blade, sheathed from            node of attachment to ligule, linear.        -   Type.—Deciduous, grass growing in culms.        -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Sheath.—1 cm wide, 12 cm long, surface — glabrous.        -   Ligules.—Up to 1-2 mm long and less than 1 mm wide.        -   Number of blades.—Typically 6 blades per stem.        -   Blade length.—10 mm wide, up to 46 cm long, average 35 cm            without the sheath.        -   Adaxial leaf description.—Leaf color is 146 A coloring up to            N187A.        -   Abaxial leaf description.—Leaf color is 146 A with N189 C            coloring up to 186A.        -   Veins.—Parallel, same color as surrounding leaf on both top            and bottom of leaf.        -   Culm description.—Erect, cylindrical, typically with 6            leaves.        -   Culm or stem diameter.—5 mm average, but typically 4 mm            between the nodes and swelling to 6 mm at the base of the            internodes.        -   Number of culms or stems per clump.—Over 30.        -   Culm color ranges.—185 B & C below nodes.        -   Node description.—Cylindrical.        -   Number of nodes per culm.—Average 6.        -   Length of internodes.—Ranges from 12 cm.-   Flower inflorescence:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal raceme with sessile and            pedicillate spikelets.        -   Rachis.—1 mm wide and up to 17 cm long, color starts 146 A            coloring to N187 B.        -   Overall raceme size.—4 cm wide, 13 cm long.        -   Rames.—Mostly 4 mm wide, 9 cm long.        -   Rachilla.—Less than 1 mm wide, 8 mm long, color starts 146 A            coloring to 187 B.        -   Inflorescence color.—As a whole the color is N187 A.        -   Spikelet.—Sessile and pedicellate — Both 4 mm wide 9 cm            long, color is N187 A.        -   Individual floret size.—2 mm wide, 12 mm long including awn.        -   Lower glume.—1-2 mm wide, 12 mm long, color starts 146 A            coloring to N187 A.        -   Lemma.—Outer and inner — both, wider than 1 mm less than 2            mm, 15 mm long, color starts 146 A coloring up to N187 A.        -   Awn size.—Is more than 1 mm wide and average 10 mm long.        -   Pedicels.—4 to 5 per, rames and are shorter toward the base            of the plant, 1 mm wide and 5-9 cm long.        -   Flower number.—Approximately 34 florets per rames, average            100 per spikelet, mature spikelet measuring 4 cm wide, 13 cm            long.        -   Cynocium.—Stigma — 2. color close to N187 A.        -   Androecium.—Anthers — number 3, color — is orange.        -   Anther size.—2-4 mm long by 1 mm wide.        -   Fertility.—Fertile with 3 Anthers and 3 Stamens.        -   Blooming habit.—Terminal raceme on up to 190 cm stems.        -   Bloom period and duration.—Last two weeks of August to the            end of September.        -   Bloom color.—N187 A.        -   Fruit or seeds.—Color is N187 A, size is 2 mm wide, 12 mm            long.        -   Scent.—No scent.        -   Roots.—Stiff, fibrous, and freely branching.        -   Fruit.—Seed identical to the species except color is darker,            N187 A.        -   Hardiness.—United States Department of Agriculture Zones            4-9.        -   Disease resistance.—Plants are not susceptible to any major            pests or diseases.-   Regarding, Andropogon gerardii plant named ‘Holy Smoke’.

I claim:
 1. A new, distinct Andropogon gerardii plant as illustrated anddescribed, characterized by an upright plant with a height of 190 cm,blue-green colored foliage with red stems, and purple fall color.